Antifriction side bearing.



, J. M. ROHLFING.

ANTIFRICTION SIDE BEARING. APPucATldN FILED MAR. 29. 1917.

1,244,781. k Patented oet. 30,1917.

JQ/zfz M Rishi/fing.

a miren ernste lifirnnfi fornisce.

JOHN `M; ROI-"ILFING,A OF ST. LOUIS, MESSOUIEtI,v '.ASSIGNOR TO yAME'ltlCAN CAR vANZI)y FOUNDRY COMPANY, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY;v

J nivriraicrioiv sinn BEARiNe.

specification bf Letters Patent. f I, kil?afgani@d 30, l191'?.

' Application filed March 29, 197177'. Serial No. 158,276.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. RoHLFInG, residing at St. Louis,'Miss'ouri, andV being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antifriction Side Bearings, of which the following is a full, clear, andk exact descripj tion, such as will enable othersskilled in' the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichy illustrate the preferred formk of they invention, though itis to be understood that the invention is not limited `to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the krclaims will occur to persons Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectionA taken on the line 3`3 of Fig. 1 showingthe plurality of roller sets f in normalv posi` tions. Y y

My invention relates to anti-friction 'bearings ofthe type that is well adapted for! use as'the side bearings of railway cars.

One of the objects is to provide a suitableV casting for attachment `to one of a pair ofv c0- opeiating holsters ofy a railway car and tof mount in said vcasting one or-a pluralityvof sets of rollers, in each set one roller being i revolubly mounted upon another; The ar.-y l l l n Aflanges 4fwhich'p'roject laterally from'the rangement is such that kone of the rollers of each set is adapted to normally rest upon* one of the runways and have such coperation therewith as to cause the setto ybe'automatically centered by gravity, the Lset being,

however, capable of coming` into contact,

with another bolster so that ,the set or sets of rollers may be caused to engage and roll upon the othervrunway.

When the rollersare causedby they lasty mentioned bolsterto ride along the runway to which they havebeen carried, the roller engaging that runway is brought to a point of stoppage by suitable means after apredetermined amount of rolling, buttlie roller mounted upon the arrested roller'is adapted for continued and uninterrupted revolving under the inuence ofthe bolster actuating' the rollers. As a result, the outery roller, which is the one engaged by` the actuating" bolster, k,is always free to revolve and thus there isan avoidance of the dangerpof this k roller kacqi'iiringflat spots, which oftenoccfur ink roller side bearings, Vimpairing their` efiil ciency.` -If"for any'reas'on the rollerriding @nl therunway becomes jammed, it-is vob`l n vious thatthe outerroller with its unre f stricted capabilityy of independent rotation, willy still' allow ythe roller side bearing to function without detriment to ,itself or the bolster that is actuating it.

V`Where there area' plurality of rollers, 70"

each V-set has its independentgzone Lof travel and may be kinserted in the side bearing cas'- ing at one -of the endsthereof. Such inseri tion capable Yof taking place before they positioning ofwearing plateswhich furnish 7 5y the contactsurfaces of one of therunways, and after the wearing lates have been properly combined with t 'e casing they cooperate with the terminals of the otherrun-4 way to prevent accidental escape of the 840y roller sets. Y

Such features as `have not already! been, referred to `but become manifest hereinaftery are,s of course, to be regarded yas ycoming within the scopeof the present invention.

`Referring specifically to ythe drawings,

y lvvindicates, inv dot and dashlines, a body y bolster, and 2 the 'upperfsurfaceof a truck bolster or side bearing carried thereby, posil toned'belowthe body bOlSteIfS indicates a 9i) f side' bearing casing or i housing attached to bodywbolster 1 yby fastening means adaptedr toy pass 'throughgfthe attachment lugs or 3. The upper portions of side walls 5 are connected by an overhead wall 6 which is provided with ledge-like-portions 7 toy the undersidesy of whichare riveted or other-y directly under laterally spaced '-wearing platesS. Each flange19 is upturned at iii-"S1015 ends and atfa centrally intermediate location, thereby forming end stops 10 'andan intermediate'stop 11. Between the 'intermediate and end stops, the,v sections of the track forming flanges 9 areeach depressed toward 110 y upperportions of the rside walls y5 ofcasingk 19,5l

roller pin 12. Due to the v,downwardly andv reversely sloping upper faces of eachy section of lianges the roller sets automatically center themselves by gravity when the .outer rollers 13 are unaffected by the truck bolster side bearing slightly below the wearing strips 8.1 The roller sets comprising roller y pin 12 outer roller 13 are inserted into casing through the ',open ends of the casing before wearing strips 8 are secured to lthe ledge portions 7 ofthe overhead wall, and after theinsei'tion of `the rollers the ksaid ywearing strips are secured iii-place as illustrated.` As

best shown in Fig.` 3,'the terminals of wearing plates 8 are sorjuxtaposedto the curved upturned Qends 1.0 ofthe bottom flanges 9, that roller pins 127are incapable of passing through thelispace between the terminalsof said wearingplates and end stops 10, the diameter of roller pins 12 'being greater than the space, between such t'eri'nin'als.A

`The body bolster 1 and the truck bolster provided with the side bearing 2 are vertically moved together vat such times as the car careens, as it doeswhen negotiating a curve in the trackf At such times, truck side' bearing 2'engages the outer'rollers 18 forcing them` upward relatively to the overhead wall 6 ,of casing 3.

rollers 13 are ring-like and contact when in their normal position with the top portions ofroller pins'12. lIt will, therefore, be seeny that outer' rings or rollers 13 from rollery pins 12.-

"W'heii the body bolster 1 moves down*- waidly'toward the truck bolster to cause the outer rings or rollers 1,3 'to vapproach wall 6 of casing 3, said outer rollers tangentially engage the inner pin rollers 12 on their unf der sides and' cause said pins to be carried from the track-forming flanges 9 Vinto engagement with the under surfaces yof the wearing strips 8. During the relatively oppesite transverse swiveling of the body and truck holsters, roller 'pins`12 are ycaused to ride or roll along the wearing strips 8 until thej7 engage stops 10 vand 11, the outer rollers l'rolling'with inner rollers 12, whereupon saidpiirrollers become arrested. As will be are suspended vrappreciatedt from Fig. 2, the outer rollers 13 will have passed up into the central longitudinalpocket 14; formed in the over? head wall G, 'but not sufficiently to roll upon Vthewally 64, and being located between wear- 2, being at such times spaced The internal' diameters of rollers 13 fare greater than the external diavmeters of'roller pins 12 so that the outer Atrack l.or wear members.

v a track, wear` inglstrips Swi-ll not roll upon these. It consequently becomes apparent that outer rollers 13 `are ,unrestrained as yto theirrevo# lutiona'nd, .as long as there is relative lateral movement between the body and truck bolsters,- will-'continue to freely revolve and are in no danger of acquiring flat spots 'which subsequently would interfere with their perfect functioning.

As the car rights itself, the upper and lower bolsters 1 and 2, respectively, verticallyseparate, and roller pins 12 will automatically rolltothe lowerinost depressed portionsof flanges 9'to assume their normal centered locations.

willbe seen from Fig. Q'that the roller annui/us 13 is provided witha Arelatively thick shell, .thatfroller piiis`12V are solid and have vrsiulicient4 diameter toy give them a rugged nature, and that the wearing plates 6 k'especially when combined with .the ledge portions 7 vof. the1casing,'form thick react-l ance portionsv in the casing. As a: conse quence, vwhen rollers 1 2 andr 13 are carriedupwardly so that the'eiidssof roller pins engage'the wearingplates, there isa combiriation of rugged elements well adaptedY to wit istand the lcompression set up by `the relative approach of the body kand truck holsters. Rollerpins 12may bei if desired, tubular, retaining their resistive qualities through the well known strength of tubes.`

It lwill also be seen that there are fewL parts. and that these are simple and maybe cheaply produced, thereby producing an inexpensive `and highly efficient roller yside roller rings provide f bearing, and"f that theA bearings for 4the-roller,pins in the nature ofy endless tracks, laid progressively inthe pathN of movement of the roller 1. InV combination in a side bearing, a i

Casinghaving `an openY end, said casingbeiiig adapted to' be tixedly positioned on a bolster and comprising a track, wear members vertically spaced from y friction device iiisertible through said'open end ofy said casing and'liaving roller ends projected between y,said track and wearl in bers and transferable to eithery to roll thereon. Y

2. In combination in a side bearing, a casing providedwith a track and .a-permanent'opening, suitably retained wear mem` bers vertically spaced from said track, and rollersonev revolubly mounted on the other said track, rand an antif and passable through the permanent casing openingV whiley assembled, the mounting roller being adapted to roll 3.1n combination in a side bearing, av casing provided with an end opening and track, and independently revoluble rolle-rs mounted one upon the other, said rollers on either saidy members spaced from said isokr and wear members being insertible through said end opening,the mounting roller pro-k tinue revolving.

5. In combination in a side bearing, aV cas ing having a permanent opening and being adapted to be fixedly positioned on a bolster, interconnected rollers` passable through said opening while assembled to be mounted inv said casing and adapted to roll so as to travel in unison, and means for causing a part of said rollers to cease rolling.

G. In combination in a side bearing, a casing provided with vertically spaced runways, a roller projecting therebetween, a second roller surrounding the rst roller and containing an enlarged passage therefor permitting displacement of said second roller transversely of the first roller, said first roller being adapted to roll on either runway, means limiting the rolling of said first'` roller permitting the continued revolution of the second roller.

7. In combination in ak side bearing, a casing provided with vertically spaced runways, a roller projecting therebetween initially iidable on one of said runways, a second roller loosely surrounding the lirst roller and having an internal diameter materially larger than the diameter of the first roller and being normally supported from said iirst roller and adapted under applied force to move the iirst roller into rolling contact with the other runway and to so support it.

8. In combination in a side bearing, a casing provided with vertically spaced lateral projections one forming a iftrack-, a separately formed wearing strip secured to the other lateral projection, and a roller having an end projected between said track and wearing strip adapted to roll on either, the terminals of saidj track and strip being so 'juxtaposed as to prevent removal of said roller, the roller being adapted to be inserted and removed when said strip is not in place.

9. In combination in a side bearing a casing open at both ends and having vertically spaced lateral projections some forming a track, stops in the end and intermediate portions of said track, wearing strips on some of said lateral projections that are spaced from the track, and rollers having-ends adapted to roll onsaid track andy strips between said intermediate and end stops, said rollers being adapted to be inserted through .theV casing ends when the wearing strips are not presenty and heldfro-m escape by said strips and end stops.y

. 10. In combination in aside bearing, a

casing comprising spaced side walls with permanently attached track-.forming flanges and an YIoverhead wall connecting 'the `side walls, lwearing strips .securedE to the overhead wallabove said flanges, a rollerproj ecting between said'flanges` and strips nor` mally resting on said flanges, a second rollerl revolubly mounted'V on"V the first roller with its, periphery/out of alinement with said wearing strips, and means for arrestingthe travel of said first roller, said second roller being adapted "to'be revolved after the first rollerhas been arrested in 4its travel.

11. In combination in a side bearing, a casing comprising spaced side walls having integral track-forming members and being connected by an overhead wall, spaced wearing strips underlying the latter wall over said track members and each establishing an unbroken path for roller-travel, a roller extending between said members and strips and normally resting on the former, a second roller revolubly mounted on the first roller adapted under applied force to cause the first roller to move to and roll on said strips to a point of stoppage and to continue revolving after the stoppage of the rst roller.

12. In combination in a side bearing, a casing having an end opening and spaced track-forming members, spaced wearing strips positioned over said track members, a ro-ller Vextending between saidtrack members and strips, normally resting on the former,

liti@ j a second roller revoluble on the first roller l adapted under applied force to move with and cause the first roller to move to and roll on said strips to a point of stoppage, the second roller being capable of revolving thereafter, said rollers while assembled and said wearing strips being inserted through said casing opening.

13. In combination in a side bearing, a casing having an opening and permanently fixed spaced track-forming members, spaced wearing strips positioned over said track members, a roller extending between said track members and strips, normally resting on the former, a second roller revoluble on the first roller adapted under applied force to move with and canse the first roller to move to and roll on said strips to a point of stoppage, the second roller being capable 14. In a bolster side bearing having a casing having open ends and provided with a plurality of track members spaced apart, and compound rollers adapted to be inserted through said open ends of the casing and arranged between said track members, said rollers comprising each a track engaging roller element and a roller bearing sleeve portion .providing a continuousbearing for said track engaging roller.

l5. In a bolster side bearing provided with a casing having an opening and a ,plurality of track members spaced apart, and compound rollers adapted to enter said casing through said opening and being ar ranged between said track members and also being held from escape thereby, saidrollers comprising each a track engaging roller ele- Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivelcents each, by addressing' the 4ment and a roller bearingsleeve` lcarried movably mounted between said track mem-y bers and .comprising each a track engaging roller relement held from escape by said track member termina-ls and carrying a bearing sleeve, said .bearing sleeve Abeing adapted to ysupport the roller in one of its track engaging positions. e v

In Witness Whereoil I have hereunto set my hand. j JOI-IN M. ROHLFING.

Commissioner of PatentsJ washington, ne? 

